In Spain, the system roughly equivalent to the UK’s DASH risk assessment is called VIOGEN (“Sistema de Seguimiento Integral en los casos de Violencia de Género” – Integral Monitoring System for Gender Violence). It is managed by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior and coordinated with police, courts, and social services.
1. Purpose of VIOGEN
- Identify victims of gender-based violence who are at risk of serious harm or homicide.
- Coordinate police monitoring and protective measures.
- Support multi-agency intervention, including social services, health, and legal protection.
- Track history of abuse, threats, and risk factors over time.
VIOGEN is used for all cases of intimate partner violence against women, including post-divorce situations.
2. How VIOGEN Works
- Initial Police Report
- The system is activated when a victim files a report of abuse or threats.
- Police record details of the incident, including threats, physical harm, stalking, coercive control, and any prior history.
- Risk Assessment
- Police apply the VPR (Valoración de Riesgo Policial) tool to classify risk as low, medium, or high.
- Factors considered include:
- Severity and frequency of abuse
- Threats to life or severe injury
- Access to weapons
- Violations of restraining orders
- Stalking, harassment, or coercive control patterns
- Risk Level Assignment
- Low Risk: Standard monitoring and advice.
- Medium Risk: Increased supervision, safety planning, and follow-up.
- High Risk: Intensive monitoring, protective measures, and multi-agency coordination.
- Protective Measures
- The system alerts police and courts to take urgent actions if necessary:
- Restraining orders (órdenes de protección)
- Removal from home
- Custody restrictions for children
- Police monitoring or patrol checks
- Electronic monitoring in extreme cases
- The system alerts police and courts to take urgent actions if necessary:
- Ongoing Monitoring
- VIOGEN maintains continuous records of all incidents and follow-ups.
- Risk assessments are updated if circumstances change, ensuring ongoing protection.
- Provides data to courts and social services to support protective measures.
3. Comparison to DASH (UK)
| Feature | UK (DASH) | Spain (VIOGEN) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Identify victims at risk of serious harm | Same, for intimate partner/gender violence |
| Scope | Domestic abuse, stalking, honor-based violence | Gender-based violence only (mainly intimate partner) |
| Risk Levels | Standard / Medium / High | Bajo / Medio / Alto (Low / Medium / High) |
| Multi-agency coordination | MARAC (High-risk cases) | Police, courts, social services |
| Monitoring tools | Police intervention, MARAC safety plans | Police monitoring, electronic tracking, restraining orders |
Key Takeaways:
- VIOGEN is Spain’s official integrated system for monitoring, assessing, and protecting victims of gender-based violence.
- Like DASH, it uses structured risk assessment tools (VPR, VRA) and assigns risk levels to guide protective measures.
- High-risk cases trigger coordinated, multi-agency intervention to prevent escalation and ensure safety.
